10 VEGAN PROTEIN OPTIONS
“Where do vegans get their protein?” is still one of the most common questions that vegans get asked. For some reason, it’s still a mystery to a lot of people. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, plants have protein, people!
As a vegan, if you are eating enough food and a variety of food, you are probably getting enough protein each day. But everyone’s goals and lifestyles are different. That means some people might be needing more protein-rich foods. As an example, I’m pretty active and I’m currently trying to build and maintain muscle, so I aim to eat 130 grams of protein each day. In this blog post, I show you the different sources of vegan protein that I eat regularly.
If you are looking to get more protein in your diet, here are 10 Vegan Protein Options for you to try:
Chickpeas and lentils are great sources of protein on their own. Combine them into this pasta, and you get a gluten-free and high-protein food. I love that this Chickapea Pasta is versatile and doesn’t get mushy when you cook it. It has 23 grams of protein in half a package and is low in fat too.
I like to use this to make pasta salads with a mix of different veggies or if I’m looking for an extra protein-packed meal, I’ll combine it with some of the protein options below.
If you are looking for an affordable and quick source of protein, buy some canned black beans! All beans have high protein but black beans are my favourite. They are high in carbs so they are a great option post-workout. Just be careful not to eat too much, I won’t have more than half a cup a day because they contain a lot of fibre!
Try adding black beans to tacos, veggie chilli or a salad.
Sometimes I like to supplement with vegan protein powder because it’s low in carbs and fat but high in protein. I find that it can be hard to find a protein powder that tastes good, mixes well, and digests well. Lately, I’ve been using the Iron Vegan Sprouted Protein. Because it’s sprouted, it’s easier to digest, it's also really smooth when mixed and is organic and gluten-free as well.
It’s easy to add this protein to smoothies, you can even mix it with water or your plant-based milk of choice!
Hemp seeds, also known as hemp hearts, are small but mighty! They are extremely nutritious, and in 3 tablespoons you’ll get 10 grams of protein. Here are just a few of the benefits of eating hemp hearts: improve your brain and heart health, is a great source of vitamin E, can improve skin and more!
Sprinkle some on your avocado toast, add to smoothies or salads!
Vegetables have protein, some more than others! Green peas are high in protein and are very easy to add to your meals. It’s a good idea to keep some in the freezer! You’ll find that most darker green vegetables have more nutritional value and protein.
I typically have peas, broccoli, spinach, potatoes and peppers in the fridge, these are my favourite. I also try to incorporate new vegetables each week to make sure I get a variety of nutrients.
When I’m travelling or have a busy day where it’s hard to make food, I love to have an easy high-protein snack available. This Vega Sport Protein Bar is the best that I have found! They have a couple of flavours but the Crispy Chocolate Mint is my go-to. It tastes delicious, it’s like a treat AND it has 20 grams of plant-based protein.
Nutritional yeast is one of those foods you discover when you go vegan. It has a cheesy taste so you will find it in a lot of vegan recipes. I recently learned that it’s also super high in protein! And it’s a great source of B12! I always keep a large jar in the pantry.
Try adding it to soups, pasta, sprinkle it on top of salads or make a cheese sauce. It’s super easy to add to your meals!
Field Roast makes some incredible products using wheat gluten which is also known as seitan. My favourite is these Smoked Apple Sage Sausages. I crumble them up with my chickpea pasta or slice it up and enjoy with some roasted veggies. The flavour is so good and it’s an easy way to get in more protein.
I eat these in moderation just because they do have a lot of gluten.
Oats are so versatile and easy to make! I love incorporating oats into my breakfast because it keeps me full for a long time. They are affordable and a great way to get protein. And the best part, in my opinion, is adding toppings to my oatmeal. Try adding things like peanut butter, fresh fruit, hemp hearts, oat milk, goji berries, or any flavour combination you like!
You can use oats to make oatmeal, blend them up to make a pancake mix, add to a smoothie or even bake them.
I am a big fan of tofu because there are so many ways to cook it and it’s so high in protein! The firmer the tofu, the more protein it contains. Most people try tofu a couple of times and don’t like it, but you need to make sure you cook it in a way that appeals to you. Smoked tofu is very yummy and it’s ready to eat right out of the package! I like to slice it up thin and make a sandwich or cut it into cubes and add it to my salads.
Another great way to prepare tofu is to make a scramble and add lots of spices and herbs! (Recipe coming soon…)
Related blog: Why Your Protein Powder Should be Vegan
